VL Tuisku


The VL Tuisku was a Finnish trainer aircraft designed in the 1930s. It was a two-seat, single-engined biplane with a welded steel framework, covered with fabric. 30 were produced for the Finnish Air Force and served from 1935 to 1949.

Design and development

, who was the chief designer at the State Aircraft Factory led a project to create a new trainer aircraft for the Finnish Air Force. A prototype was built in 1933 and it was first flown on January 10, 1934 by lieutenant U.E. Mäkelä. Series production began one year later in 1935 - 30 aircraft were built over a period of two years.

Operational history

Three different versions of the aircraft were made: a maritime, a pilot training and a reconnaissance training version. Examples were attached to all Finnish Air Force squadrons until 1949, with the identification codes TU-149 to TU-179.

Aircraft on display

One Tuisku, named "Sokeri-Sirkku" is preserved and on display at the air museum in Vantaa. The fuselage of TU-169 is preserved in the museum's storage facilities. A Tuisku is also on display in front of the old State Aircraft Factory in Tampere.

Variants

;Tuisku: Prototype.
;Tuisku I: Initial production version.
;Tuisku II: Improved version, fitted with a 215-hp Armstrong Siddeley Lynx radial piston engine.
;Tuisku/T:The crew training version fitted with armament, including a manually aimed machine gun on a Scarff ring in the rear cockpit.
;Tuisku/O:The pilot training fitted with dual controls in front and rear cockpits.

Operators

;:Finnish Air Force

Specifications (Landplane)